


Robes

by ellisfifellis



Series: ***Stars*** [1]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Agender Character, Clothes, Other, Tags Are Hard, Trust, hand holding, i tried to make it nice though, longer than i meant it to be, nadia is an ethereal being and i will write her as such, portia knows everything, probably too much imagery for fanfiction ngl, white wine, written because i was Disappointed in the Lack of Nadia Content™
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 19:43:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12327576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellisfifellis/pseuds/ellisfifellis
Summary: “I… I feel like I’ve been taking advantage of your generosity. Every outfit you give to me seems to get ruined in some way. I’d like to save you the trouble, and I’ll return to my old clothes.”...“Take my hand, and close your eyes.”~also known as stellaris thinks they're a little bit of a nuisance and nadia is having none of it





	Robes

Stellaris had gotten two outfits ruined in two days. First, during the hunt, and second, when the Consul had spilled wine on them. They thought the Countess probably wouldn't particularly mind, as she, Stellaris was sure, had a wealth of velvets, silks and satins in a wardrobe somewhere, but they had a niggling of guilt in the back of their mind, especially after Nadia had given them the emerald that laid upon their breastbone. It had been a couple of days since either outfit was ruined, and since Nadia had agreed to their request for fancier clothes than the loose, half-ragged robes they had worn most days in the shop, yet still a need to apologise plagued the back of Stellaris’s thoughts, so one night, they decided to talk to the Countess about it. Stellaris would greet her gracefully, detail their deep regret of the ruin of the garments, return what they could and go back to the modest cloths from whence they came. 

It went… probably as much like that as Stellaris could have hoped for. 

The beginning went fairly smoothly, if you ignore the floundering outside of Nadia’s quarters just outside the view of the guards before Portia arrived to deliver a nighttime glass of chilled white wine. She gave Stellaris that _look_ , the knowing half-smile, and when she came out of the door, she even winked at them. They stood, flustered for a moment more, before finally they managed to quell the nervous tension in their stomach - or at least ignore it slightly better. Their steps were purposeful, certain and only a little bit stiff as they approached the door, nodded to the guards and knocked on the lacquered wood lightly. 

“Enter,” the silky, even voice called from in the room. Stellaris once again gathered up their courage, as if they were entering for a tarot reading. The outcome was uncertain, but the facts going in were not; it was Nadia, and Stellaris, and they would be talking about clothes. That was all they needed to know, and, honestly, what could go wrong? 

They entered, and every single one of their thoughts flew out of their mind as swiftly as their soft intake of breath. Nadia was sat on an armchair, a book in her hand, dressed solely in a golden-orange dressing gown the colour of a summer sunset. All her usual adornments were gone - she wore no jewellery other than a wedding band on her ring finger, and even her customary hairpin and pearl headband were gone, replaced with a simple ponytail tied only by a ribbon. 

“Stellaris. What a pleasant surprise.” Nadia rose, graceful as doe standing from the forest floor, and the robe shifted. It did nothing to hide her natural assets, maybe even enhancing them, with the V of the crossing neckline creating a point low and central on her chest. Stellaris needed to look away, and ended up settling on the black, gold-emblazoned cover of the book Nadia was holding. 

“Oh, uh, what are you reading?” Somehow, they managed to raise their eyes to the Countess’s, finding a playful tease in her red gaze. 

“You did not come for books, as much as I enjoy discussing them,” she said, and Stellaris felt their awkward attempt at conversation get stuck in their throat when they tried to swallow it away. “What troubles you, Stellaris?”

Struggling to remember the speech they had visualised giving time and time again, they said, “Um. Clothes.”

 _Great job_ , they thought. _At least now she realises you are a fool as well as a freeloader._

“Do you wish for more? I have a large selection in this room, and more in another nearby. Most of my clothes will likely not fit, however,” Nadia said with her signature gently-teasing smile. “You are rather a lot shorter than I.”

Stellaris could feel their cheeks warm and thanked, not for the first time in the Countess’s presence, that their dark skin hid most of their blushing. They were indeed much shorter than Nadia, coming up only to her mouth. It was doubtful that they would fit in any of her clothes. 

“You know my fashion, however,” she said, reading the expression Stellaris displayed. “Many things are long pieces of cloth wrapped around the body. They will fit. And we have different sizes in the guest wardrobe.”

“I- no, thank you.” Nadia’s eyebrows raised the slightest bit, and her eyes opened just a little, showing just the barest hint of surprise. “I… I feel like I’ve been taking advantage of your generosity. Every outfit you give to me seems to get ruined in some way. I’d like to save you the trouble, and I’ll return to my old clothes.”

Nadia paused. She seemed, if not shocked, then at the very least nonplussed. She stood totally still for a moment. In that moment, Stellaris panicked a bit. Had they offended her? Would they be thrown out as a commoner? Would Nadia be disgusted? But all Nadia did was turn, place her book on the table beside her, then look at Stellaris with a mirth in her eyes.

“You’re concerned about my belongings.”

“Well, yes…?”

“Yet you know you do not need to be, because of my wealth.”

“I don’t want to impose, even on someone with money.”

The corners of Nadia’s mouth began to turn, ever so slowly, upwards. She steps forwards — once, twice — and suddenly she’s right in front of Stellaris. They swallow thick anticipation as they look into her eyes. Nadia reaches out her hand, like an offering.

“Take my hand, and close your eyes.”

“Why?”

Nadia lets out a small, tiny breath of laughter and Stellaris is helpless to refuse, placing their hand delicately in hers. “You trust me, don’t you?”

“I do.”

“Then come.” 

Stellaris does close their eyes. They follow the Countess, careful of their every step. Or at least as much as they can be when they can’t see what’s in front of them. The hand in theirs is smooth, soft as her voice, delicate like her fabrics, and even the ring on her finger is warm with the heat from her skin. The smell of jasmine lingers in the air where she’s walked, washing over Stellaris in a gentle breeze as they follow behind. Nadia gives light instructions for when they traverse stairs or small cracks in the floor, but otherwise, she stays silent. Stellaris hears the creak of a door, and is advised to step over a ledge, and then-

“We’re here. You may open your eyes.”

The dark translucency of the backs of their eyelids is replaced by a billion bright colours, a rainbow dream come to life, and Nadia’s smiling face. Stellaris looks around in awe. They can see more fabrics than they can name, or even count. Shimmering ones, matte ones, light and thick alike; every piece of cloth or clothing Stellaris could ever imagine is in this room. It’s massive, with high ceilings and long ladders and tall shelves, reminiscent of the dark library, but this room is filled with an amber glow from the sunset through stained glass windows. The whole room is split in half — one is full of clothes, already made, and the other has only giant reels of fabrics in the walls, with sewing desks and kits and whatever is needed for sewing dotted around the floor. 

“Stellaris?”

“Hm? Oh, sorry.” Stellaris draws their attention, not easily, away from the room and back to Nadia’s amused gaze. She is, quite literally, glowing. The sun reflects softly off her brown skin, gives orange highlights to her magenta hair and makes her robe shine as if it was made from spun sunbeams. In this moment, Nadia is the living embodiment of a sunset.

“Stellaris.”

“Yes! Sorry.”

“You seem to get enraptured by things rather easily,” she notes, lips curled into her slight smile. “Do you like what you see?”

“I- yes?” Stellaris says, although it comes out more like a question as they are not sure whether Nadia was also referring to herself. Not that it mattered, particularly. The answer would have been yes either way.

“Good. As you can see,” she says, looking and gesturing to the room, “we have plenty of clothes here, and I can always request new ones, so you must not worry about your robes. I could even ask for those ruined outfits to be made again, if I so wanted.”

“This is…”

“Impressive? I suppose it is.” Nadia looks towards the room, as if she can see memories rippling in the fabrics with the wind from an open window. “Lucio may not have been the perfect man, but at the very least, he had a taste for fashion, and the money to fund it. He often changed multiple times a day, I’m told.”

“It’s certainly something.” 

“Do you see?” Nadia says, returning her gaze to Stellaris’. She smiles. “You need not worry about the clothes. We have plenty.”

“Thank you, Nadia,” Stellaris replies, and they mean it. This was a genuinely thoughtful measure. The Countess didn’t attempt to placate them by just offering clothes, or by letting them wander around the palace in rags. And it was strangely personal — she didn’t send a servant, or show them her own wardrobe. She’d led her here by the hand, had known it would take trust, and somehow, in the giant, empty room, Stellaris suddenly feels as if they are in an intimate space. “I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s no need, Stellaris. Truly. It is the least I can do for such a sudden and trusting friend.” She pauses, briefly, as if surprised by her own words. “Would you allow me to choose an outfit for you?”

“I guess so,” Stellaris says, gazing at the huge shelves. “How will you reach it?”

“Don’t worry for me.” Nadia begins to walk to the ladder, then turns her head back to look at Stellaris. “I’m accustomed to using these ladders. Many of my first ensembles were chosen from here, rather than tailored. Sit, please.”

So Stellaris waits. They find a plush, comfy sofa made of crushed crimson velvet, and they sit. Nadia is a pleasure to watch as she works, gracefully pulling herself along the shelves on the rolling ladder, stepping gently onto another for a piece too far for her to reach. She hangs what appears to be loose, golden garments over her forearm, and after a short while, she begins to descend. She approaches the sofa. Stellaris’ eyes focus first on her gently swaying hips, then the robe as it shifts ever so slightly, and then the V shape of her chest as it leads up to her face. 

“Here it is. I shall request for it to be sent to you in the morning.” She lays it carefully over the edge of a nearby chair, and joins Stellaris on the sofa. “Would you like a glass of wine? I might ring for some.” Stellaris nods, and Nadia stands again, heading to the door and pulling a little string three times, then three again, before returning to sit with Stellaris.

“Would you like to talk?” she asks, and Stellaris nods once again. “Ah, but what about?”

“You said that you read?”

“Yes. It’s an underappreciated gift by most who can.”

“I agree. What’s your favourite book?”

The two continue speaking to each other for hours, interrupted only twice; Portia enters once with two glasses of cold white wine, which Nadia mentions is her favourite, and two other servants enter just as the sun goes fully down to light the candles. Even though neither has much to say about themselves, they have quite a bit of knowledge of other subjects. Conversation flows like the silk on the shelves, and, in the morning, when Stellaris wakes with their head on a sleeping Nadia’s shoulders to liquid dawn light seeping into the room, they feel content.

Nadia wakes when Stellaris shifts, and both decide, unspoken, to not mention the event — even as they smile while remembering. The Countess invites Stellaris to put on the outfit, and Stellaris does, in a small private chamber to the side of the room built for that specific purpose. It is loose, and gold, and reminds them of the robe Nadia still wears. It compliments their dark skin and, with tiny hints of a shimmering, pale green thread throughout the fabric, it matches the emerald Nadia had gifted perfectly. When they exit the room, they tell Nadia that if she hadn’t been a countess, she would have been an incredible fashion consultant. The two leave the enormous room together, and Stellaris swears that Nadia’s hand brushes theirs once or twice as they walk through the corridors.

**Author's Note:**

> hi yes this came about bc i am frankly disappointed both by the lack of nadia content and the lack of content generally so i decided to make some bc this game deserves lots!! i'll hopefully add some other pieces with Stellaris the Dork at some point. i hope everyone has a nice day n stuff!!!
> 
> come say hi on twitter [here](https://www.twitter.com/ellisfifellis)!


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